Skade
Skade (died 893) was a Danish pagan seer who was the lover of Earl Sigurd Bloodhair and of Uhtred of Bebbanburg. Biography Skade was a seer (called a "witch" by the Anglo-Saxons") employed by Earl Sigurd Bloodhair, and she would have visions and have Bloodhair drink her blood in order to make good visions come true. In 892, she had a vision that Bloodhair would kill King Alfred the Great of Wessex, provoking Bloodhair to invade Wessex. She massacred the priests of Alton when all of them reported that they had no silver, raising priests over fires and disemboweling Brother Hubert. She was taken prisoner by Uhtred of Bebbanburg when he arrived at the town, and she was presented to Alfred at Aescengum, where he warned him that he would not survive the year, and that he would be the last king of the united Saxons. Uhtred frequently refused to kill her, afraid that his curse would continue unless she lifted it, upsetting his lieutenant Finan the Agile. Later, Skade attempted to seduce Uhtred, saying that she would leave Bloodhair behind. Uhtred was tempted, especially when, while at the fortress of Dunholm, his old friend Brida told him that he could harness her powers by becoming her man. She then promised to kill Brida after she placed a Nithstong in front of her cell to block her powers. Hastein's captive Skade left with Uhtred after he decided against joining Ragnar, Bloodhair, and Hastein's new Danish army, as she believed that Uhtred was bound to her. Uhtred later rescued Princess Aethelflaed from the Wincelcumb monastery, only to be besieged there by Hastein's men. Uhtred reminded Skade that she had to do as he wished, and that he would return for her; he then had her released to Hastein's besiegers instead of Aethelflaed, and she was taken as a captive to Beamfleot. She rejected Hastein's advances, but said that she would be his if he could slay her current lover, Uhtred. Uhtred defeated Hastein at the Battle of Beamfleot in 893, but Hastein kidnapped Skade and claimed continued ownership of her. This ultimately caused more friction between Hastein and Bloodhair, leading to a duel. Angered by Bloodhair's abandonment of her and his repeated attempts to reclaim her, Skade gave Bloodhair a hallucinogenic before his duel with Hastein, causing him to perform poorly. Before an infuriated Bloodhair could harm Skade, Hastein deflected his attack, and Skade stabbed Bloodhair dead. Death Uhtred later rescued Skade from Hastein's camp with the help of his lieutenant Sihtric, who had pretended to defect to the Danes in order to join their camp and find Skade. However, Uhtred's men were demoralized by Skade's curse, and Uhtred found out from Storri that, in order to kill a curse, the cursed person would have to kill the person who cast the curse in a way which left their flesh intact. While at his old estate of Coccham, Uhtred headed to the River Thames with Skade, where they passionately kissed in the water, and they nearly made love. However, after Skade told Uhtred that she owned him, a shirtless Uhtred took his shirt, wrapped it around Skade's head, and drove her head underwater, holding it there until she drowned. He then left her body floating in the Thames, and his men were relieved to hear of Skade's death and the end of the curse. Category:893 deaths Category:Danish Category:Pagans Category:Sorcerers Category:Killed Category:Vikings